Marking tank obstructions using an electronic level gauge

An electronic level gauge (ELG) for coupling to a tank, comprising:

• a transceiver coupled to a processor implementing a radar-based obstruction detection algorithm (obstruction detection algorithm) and a radar-based level detection algorithm (level detection algorithm) both stored in an associated non-transitory memory (memory) coupled thereto, said obstruction detection algorithm causing said processor to:
• generate a first echo curve from a first reflected signal received when a material in said tank is at a first level;
• identify at least a first feature in said first echo curve to provide at least one suspected obstruction along with its position (first feature position);
• generate a second echo curve from a second reflected signal when said material is at a second level in said tank that passes through said first feature position so that an amplitude of said second reflected signal at said first feature position is above its amplitude in said first reflected signal;
• generate a third echo curve from a third reflected signal when said material is at a third level in said tank that is above said first level sufficiently so that an amplitude of said third reflected signal at said first feature position is below its amplitude in said first reflected signal;
• and
• store said suspected obstruction and said first feature position in said memory as a verified obstruction along with said first feature position.

A computer program product, comprising:

• a non-transitory data storage medium that includes program instructions executable by a processor to enable said processor to execute a method for marking obstructions in a tank using radar-based level finding, wherein said tank has an electronic level gauge (ELG) including a transceiver, and wherein a radar-based obstruction detection algorithm (obstruction detection algorithm) is stored in said non-transitory data storage medium, said computer program product comprising:
• code for generating a first echo curve from a first reflected signal received when a material in said tank is at a first level;
• code for identifying at least a first feature in said first echo curve to provide at least one suspected obstruction along with its position (first feature position);
• code for generating a second echo curve from a second reflected signal when said material is at a second level in said tank that passes through said first feature position so that an amplitude of said second reflected signal at said first feature position is above its amplitude in said first reflected signal;
• code for generating a third echo curve from a third reflected signal when said material is at a third level in said tank that is above said first level sufficiently so that an amplitude of said third reflected signal at said first feature position is below its amplitude in said first reflected signal;
• and
• code for storing said suspected obstruction at said first feature position in said non-transitory data storage medium as a verified obstruction located at said first feature position.